Watford Grammar School (Architectural Competition)

WATFORD GRAMMAR SCHOOL COMPETITION - A limited competition for a new grammar school has just been adjudicated upon by Mr. Ernest Newton, the successful competitors being Messrs. Russell and Cooper, the second place being secured by Messrs. Spalding and Myers, and Mr. P. Ayres being placed third. The site is at the corner of Rickmansworth-road on the south-east, and the Shepherds'-road on the north-east. an old lodge building, which had to be preserved, occupying the angle, and an old golf-house also being utilised, as a dining-hall and gymnasium, on the south-west. A field on the north- west, lying back from both roads, had to be retained intact for playing purposes, while the necessity of including the golf-house in the scheme forced the buildings well back from the main Rickmansworth- road, permitting a fine garden to be laid out in front.

Messrs. Russell and Cooper have adopted a simple E-shaped plan, with main frontage to the Rickmansworth-road, and wings projecting towards the playground. A corridor passes from end to end, the entrances for seniors and juniors being at either end, served from different roads, and with the seniors' entrance close to workshops, caretaker's house, and the golf-house. Bicycle stores and cloak and lavatory accommodation are amply provided in the end wings, and the school proper is grouped round the assembly-hall in the centre, most of the classrooms being placed on the upper floor—which means much tramping upstairs after morning prayers. and the stairs are not. very accessible. There is a central entrance for visitors and the head-master; but hardly ample enough, considering that it may well be used for reception purposes Enlargement would be easy, by utilising the width of one window on either side of the entrance, and reducing the size of the masters' room and library correspondingly. A large, well- lighted hall would be gained. with ample space in it for visitors' cloaks. The elevation is excellent.

The plan placed second, by Messrs. Spalding and Myers, is very similar in its general scheme; but with the fault of insufficient and awkwardly placed latrines, and no bicycle stores. Otherwise, there is little to choose between the two schemes. Elevationally, this is, perhaps, the more dignified.

Mr. C. P. Ayres. who has been adjudicated third, has made the mistake of planning his building diagonally on the site, thereby wasting a large amount of playing ground. His plans are also more scattered. and the elevation too much of the Board School type. Of the other competitors, No. 9 alone has produced a plan with good. noticeable points. The general lay-out of the scheme is more architectural than any other; but it fails for want of a direct through corridor, and the location of badly-lighted and even dangerous steps in the corridor ways. [Building News 13 May 1910 page 645]